Tag: john cho

Ever since ABC cancelled its 2009 science-fiction drama called “FLASHFORWARD” after one season, many television critics and fans have expressed the belief that the series failed to garner enough viewers due to its less than stellar writing. But there were a good number of viewers who believed that the network should have given the series a chance to grow over the years. I happen to be one of those who agree with the latter.

Based upon the 1999 novel written by Robert J. Sawyer, “FLASHFORWARD” revolved around the lives of several people after a mysterious event caused nearly everyone on the planet to simultaneously lose consciousness for two minutes and seventeen seconds on October 6, 2009. During this “blackout” people saw what appeared to be visions of their lives on April 29, 2010 – a global “flashforward”. Created by Brannon Braga and David S. Goyer, the series starred Joseph Fiennes, John Cho, Courtney B. Vance, Christine Woods, Jack Davenport, Sonia Walger and Dominic Monaghan.

When the series first aired in late September 2009, it became an immediate ratings hit and stayed that way during its first ten (10) episodes. Then ABC made the decision to put the series on hiatus for three-and-a-half months. Why? I have no idea. But after the series resumed its run in mid-March 2010, its ratings tanked. In fact, the ratings remained low until it was finally cancelled by ABC some two-and-a-half months later. Does this story sound familiar? Why, yes it does. The very same fate nearly befell the CBS science-fiction/post-apocalypse series, ”JERICHO”. Thanks to a campaign by fans to save the series, “JERICHO” was given a second season – which amounted to seven episodes that aired in a new time slot. Namely Tuesday nights at 10:00 PM. And yes . . . CBS finally got rid of it after those seven episodes aired. No amount of fan campaign could convince ABC to give “FLASHFORWARD” a second chance. But there are a good number of fans who are angry at how the network handled the series.

Yet, those critics and fans who did not criticize ABC’s handling of the series have claimed that“FLASHFORWARD” was a failure that was destined for cancellation. Many of these critics and viewers claimed that the series failed to live up to the same quality as another ABC series, namely the pop culture 2004-2010 hit, “LOST”. Personally, I have a problem with this assessment. One, “FLASHFORWARD” was only able to finish one season. Its story had barely began before it was cancelled. This expectation for a series to be perfect right off the bat struck me as ridiculous. Now, I realize that both “LOST” and the NBC series,“HEROES”, managed to immediately dazzle U.S. viewers and critics with highly regarded series premieres and well written first seasons. But a closer look would reveal that after their remarkable first seasons, the storytelling qualities of both shows ended up declining following their first seasons. The problem I had with both “LOST” and “HEROES” was that they tried to maintain the momentum of their dazzling debuts . . . and failed. Mind you, “LOST” managed to occasionally deliver some exceptional episodes and story arcs over its remaining five seasons. But it was never able to deliver a consistently top-notched season after its first one. As for “HEROES”, it simply went down the drain following its first season. How it managed to stay on the air for another three seasons is still a mystery to me.

Ever since the dazzling debuts of “LOST” and “HEROES”; television network executives have expected and demanded that other multi-seasonal series with a science-fiction/fantasy background repeat their initial success. I believe that this was a mistake. Some of the best science-fiction/fantasy television series I have seen have started out with a less than dazzling or even mediocre season debut. Good examples of this are“BABYLON 5”, “JERICHO” and “BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER”. Both “BABYLON 5” and “BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER” were given chances to fulfill their potential. By the middle of its first season, “JERICHO”had started to develop into a well-written series. But after a long, mid-season hiatus and an addition seven(?)episodes, CBS permanently pulled its plug . . . aborting its chances of fulfilling any further potential.

As I had stated earlier, “FLASH FORWARD” also started its season with a less than dazzling debut. I might as well be frank. It was not perfect. But I do believe that it had great potential to grow into a well written saga. If the series had aired in the previous decade, I suspect that might have been given the chance to develop into something remarkable. It certainly had potential. But, we are stuck in the “LOST” era of television broadcasting. Today’s television network executives do not seem to have the patience or willingness to give a series a chance to grow. They want and demand instant success. And unless they are willing to change theirmodis operandi, future science-fiction/fantasy television series with levels of qualities similar to “BABYLON 5”and “BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER” threaten to become a thing of the past, never to be shown on television again. I certainly did not see that level of developing quality writing in shows like “LOST” or “HEROES”, despite their longevity on the air.

Below is my ranking of the twelve “STAR TREK” movies from my favorite to my least favorite. The movies featured characters from “STAR TREK” (1966-1969) series and “STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION” (1987-1994):

FRANCHISE RANKING: THE “STAR TREK” MOVIES

1. “Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home” (1986) – Even after so many years, I am still in love with this time travel tale in which the senior officers of the U.S.S. Enterprise go back in time to find a humpback whale, bring it back to 23rd century San Francisco and save the Alpha Quadrant. Leonard Nimoy directed and he co-starred with William Shatner and Catherine Hicks.

2. “Star Trek: First Contact” (1996) – Here is another time travel story that is a major favorite of mine. Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise-E go back to mid-21st Earth to prevent the Borg from conquering it. Director Jonathan Frakes also co-starred with Patrick Stewart, Alfrie Woodward, Alice Kriege and James Cromwell.

3. “Star Trek III: The Search for Spock” (1984) – Following Spock’s death in “The Wrath of Khan”, Kirk and his fellow senior officers steal the U.S.S. Enterprise and return to the planet Genesis in order to find Spock’s body and bond it with the half-Vulcan’s essence, which is inside Leonard McCoy’s body. Directed by Leonard Nimoy, the movie starred William Shatner, DeForest Kelley and Christopher Lloyd.

4. “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan” (1982) – James Kirk and his crew are reunited with an old foe from twenty years earlier, the genetically engineered Khan Noonien Singh. Directed by Nicholas Meyer, the movie starred William Shatner, Leonard McCoy, Ricardo Montalban, Kirstie Alley and Paul Winfield.

5. “Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country” (1991) – Kirk and the crew of the Enterprise must stop a plot to prevent a peace treaty between the Klingon Empire and the Federation. Directed by Nicholas Meyer, the movie starred William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Christopher Plummer, David Warner, Kim Cattrall and Brock Peters.

6. “Star Trek: Generations” (1994) – In this first movie to feature the “NEXT GENERATION” crew; Picard, with the help of supposedly dead James T. Kirk, must stop a madman willing to murder on a planetary scale in order to enter a space matrix. David Carson directed Patrick Stewart, Malcolm McDowell and William Shatner.

7. “Star Trek: Insurrection” (1998) – When Picard and the crew of the Enterprise-E learn of a Federation plot against the inhabitants of a unique planet, they begin an open rebellion. Director Jonathan Frakes co-starred with Patrick Stewart, Donna Murphy and F. Murray Abraham.

8. “Star Trek Into Darkness” (2013) – Captain James T. Kirk and the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise are charged with tracking down a renegade responsible for the murder of several Starfleet officers, including Admiral Christopher Pike and end up dealing with a conspiracy within Starfleet and an enhanced Human known as Khan. Sequel to J.J. Abrams’ 2009 film.

9. “Star Trek: Nemesis” (2002) – After the Enterprise-E is diverted to the Romulan planet of Romulus, supposedly because they want to negotiate a truce, the Federation soon find out the Romulans are planning an attack on Earth. Directed by Stuart Baird, the movie starred Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spinner, Tom Hardy and Ron Perlman.

10. “Star Trek” (2009) – Directed by J.J. Abrams, this reboot follows a young James T. Kirk and Spock, before they unite aboard the USS Enterprise to combat a Romulan from their future who threatens the United Federation of Planets. Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Eric Bana, Zoë Saldaña and Bruce Greenwood. The quality of the “TREK” films begin to waver around this point.

11. “Star Trek: The Motion Picture” (1979) – In this lackluster tale, a mysterious and immensely powerful alien cloud called V’ger approaches Earth, destroying everything in its path and Admiral James T. Kirk assumes command of his old starship—the U.S.S. Enterprise to lead it on a mission to save the planet and determine V’ger’s origins. Directed by Robert Wise, William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Persis Khambatta and Stephen Collins co-starred.

12. “Star Trek V: The Final Frontier” (1989) – In what I consider to be the worst “TREK” movie ever, Kirk and his crew must deal with Mr. Spock’s half-brother, who hijacks the Enterprise-A for an obsessive search for God. Director William Shatner co-starred with Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, David Warner and Laurence Luckinbill.